Liquid ejecting apparatus and liquid ejecting method

Abstract

A printer includes an apparatus main body and an image reading unit. The apparatus main body includes an opening in which at least a part of a stroke region of a carriage is exposed. An ink supply tube extending from an ink tank is routed through between the apparatus main body and the image reading unit, and inserted through the opening to supply ink to a liquid ejecting head. Although the image reading unit is unable to be closed because the tube runs on the upper face of the apparatus main body, a sensor is activated by inserting an insertion piece into a detection recess, so that a printing operation is permitted to be performed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid onto a target; 
 a casing in which a carriage having the liquid ejecting head mounted thereon is set to reciprocate, the casing including an opening in which at least a part of the stroke region of the carriage is exposed; 
 a cover structure to be displaced with respect to the casing so as to open and close the opening; 
 a liquid chamber containing the liquid and located outside the casing; 
 a liquid supply tube extending from the liquid chamber through the opening, and which supplies the liquid to the liquid ejecting head; 
 a recess formed in the casing; 
 a detector which is activated by being pressed by an object inserted into the recess; 
 a control unit which performs a recording operation on the target by controlling the liquid ejection head when the detector is pressed by the object and which does not perform recording on the target by controlling the liquid ejecting head when the detector is not pressed by the object; and 
 a gap forming member which is provided at least partially in the recess and which forms a gap between the casing and the cover structure that allows the liquid supply tube to be passed through the gap without a liquid flow path inside the liquid supply tube being blocked while pressing the detector. 
 
     
     
       2. A liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover structure includes a projection, the projection being in contact with the gap forming member. 
     
     
       3. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid onto a target; 
 a casing in which a carriage having the liquid ejecting head mounted thereon is set to reciprocate, the casing including an opening in which at least a part of the stroke region of the carriage is exposed; 
 a cover structure to be displaced with respect to the casing in a direction to open or close the opening; 
 a liquid chamber containing the liquid and located outside the casing; 
 a liquid supply tube extending from the liquid chamber through the opening, and which supplies the liquid to the liquid ejecting head; 
 a recess formed in the casing; a detector which is activated upon being pressed by an object inserted in the recess; 
 a control unit which performs recording on the target by controlling the liquid ejecting head when the detector is pressed by the object and which does not perform recording on the target by controlling the liquid ejecting head when the detector is not pressed by the object 
 a gap forming member which is provided on the cover structure and which forms a gap between the casing and the cover structure that allows the liquid supply tube to be passed through the gap without a liquid flow path inside the liquid supply tube being blocked while pressing the detector. 
 
     
     
       4. A liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the cover structure includes a projection, the gap forming member including a fitting recess in which the projection is fitted and the gap forming member being attached to the projection by the protrusion which is fitted in the fitting recess. 
     
     
       5. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid onto a target; 
 a casing in which a carriage having the liquid ejecting head mounted thereon is set to reciprocate, the casing including an opening in which at least a part of the stroke region of the carriage is exposed; 
 a cover structure to be displaced with respect to the casing so as to open and close the opening; 
 a liquid chamber containing the liquid and located outside the casing; 
 a liquid supply tube extending from the liquid chamber through the opening, and which supplies the liquid to the liquid ejecting head; 
 a recess formed in the casing; 
 a detector which is activated upon being pressed by an object inserted in the recess; 
 a gap forming member which is provided at least partially in the recess and which forms a gap between the casing and the cover structure that allows the liquid supply tube to be passed through the gap without a liquid flow path inside the liquid supply tube being blocked while pressing the detector 
 wherein the liquid ejecting head performs recording on the target when the cover structure is open and closed. 
 
     
     
       6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the cover structure includes an image reading unit configured to read a source document, and the liquid supply tube is routed so as not to interfere with a protruding portion formed on the lower face of the image reading unit. 
     
     
       7. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the liquid supply tube is composed of a plurality of tubes connected to each other via a joint fitting. 
     
     
       8. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 5 , comprising one or a plurality of the liquid supply tubes. 
     
     
       9. A liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the cover structure includes a projection and the projection is in contact with the gap forming member. 
 
     
     
       10. A liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the gap forming member, when pressing the detector, has an engaging portion for engaging an edge of the recess. 
 
     
     
       11. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid onto a target; 
 a casing in which a carriage having the liquid ejecting head mounted thereon is set to reciprocate, the casing including an opening in which at least a part of the stroke region of the carriage is exposed; 
 a cover structure to be displaced with respect to the casing so as to open and close the opening; 
 a liquid chamber containing the liquid and located outside the casing; 
 a liquid supply tube extending from the liquid chamber through the opening, and which supplies the liquid to the liquid ejecting head; 
 a recess formed in the casing; 
 a detector which is activated upon being pressed by an object inserted in the recess; 
 a gap forming member which is provided on the cover structure and which form a gap between the casing and the cover structure that allows the liquid supply tube to be passed through the gap without a liquid flow path inside the liquid supply tube being blocked while pressing the detector 
 wherein the liquid ejecting head performs recording on the target when the cover is open and closed. 
 
     
     
       12. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the cover structure includes an image reading unit configured to read a source document, and the liquid supply tube is routed so as not to interfere with a protruding portion formed on the lower face of the image reading unit. 
     
     
       13. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the liquid supply tube is composed of a plurality of tubes connected to each other via a joint fitting. 
     
     
       14. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 11 , comprising one or a plurality of the liquid supply tubes. 
     
     
       15. A liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the cover structure includes a projection, 
 the gap forming member includes a fitting recess in which the projection is fitted and the gap forming member is attached to the projection by the protrusion which is fitted in the fitting recess. 
 
     
     
       16. A liquid apparatus according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the gap forming member, when pressing the detector, has an engaging portion for engaging a edge of the recess.